1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an amusement ride that uses cables to elevate a carrier for one or more participants between a multitude of towers.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,686 employs a multitude of towers and cables to elevate a carrier for participants. There is no indication, however, that at least the top portion of the towers would be flexible. In fact, the arches shown in FIG. 4 between adjacent towers suggests that there is no such flexibility.
Several patents, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,783; 5,649,866; and 5,810,671 have a passenger carrier that is accelerated upward by bungee cords and can relatively freely swing about the ends of such cords. U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,866 uses three towers; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,783 and 5,810,671 utilize three towers. No mention is made of any flexibility in the towers of these patents. The lattice construction shown in the drawings of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,866 and 5,810,671 imply that there would be no such flexibility. Indeed, lines 56 through 56 in column 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,866 refer to the towers as xe2x80x9cthree upstanding, stationary towersxe2x80x9d; and lines 32 through 33 in column 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,8180,671 use the descriptive terminology xe2x80x9cpair of spaced, stationary towers.xe2x80x9d The relatively short height of the towers shown in the drawings for U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,783 provides a similar implication. And, in fact, line 11 in column 6 of that patent describes the towers as being xe2x80x9crigid structures.xe2x80x9d
The passenger carrier in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,783; 5,649,866; and 5,810,671 that is accelerated upward by bungee cords can relatively freely swing about the ends of such cords. There is, however, no controlled rotation of the carrier; U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,671, in lines 2 through 5 of column 7, merely indicates that, by xe2x80x9cshifting their weightxe2x80x9d participants can cause the carrier of the invention to commence rolling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,111 does involve controlled rotation of a passenger chair (also termed a xe2x80x9csupportxe2x80x9d) for an amusement ride. The degree of rotation is, however, purposefully limited; the limited rotation that is possible apparently occurs only over a restricted, fixed portion of a course upon a tower; and only downward movement occurs when the chair has been rotated from its initial substantially vertical position.
Lines 31 through 37 in column 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,111 explain, xe2x80x9cThe passenger support, together with the passenger, is tilted forward into a falling orientation which is at a predetermined tilt-angle to the pre-fall orientation. The passenger support, together with the passenger, is dropped or propelled from the drop position to a lower position while the passenger support and the passenger are in the forward tilted falling orientation . . . xe2x80x9d
Lines 3 and 4 in column 3 further clarify, xe2x80x9cfor safety reasons, the tilt-angle of the passenger and the passenger support is limited . . . xe2x80x9d
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,111 continues, in lines 26 through 28 of column 3, by asserting, xe2x80x9cA travel course for the carriage is established by engaging a guide that is connected to the carriage upon an elongate rail or track that is coupled to an elevating tower.xe2x80x9d
Lines 23 through 25, 39 through 42, and 46 through 49 of column 3 state, xe2x80x9cThe degree of tilt between the pre-fall orientation 92 and the falling orientation 95 is predetermined and restricted . . . When the latching mechanism 40 is released, the passenger support 22 is permitted to tilt or be tilted from the pre-fall orientation 92 toward and into the falling orientation 95 . . . Alternatively, the tilting action can be induced by an operating mechanism B43B which in the described embodiment is a rotary motor and may be exemplarily electromechanical, hydraulic or other suitable configuration.xe2x80x9d
Lines 39 through 46 and 55 through 57 of column 6 consistently provide, xe2x80x9cUpon reaching the drop position 70, the passenger support 22 is permitted to tilt, or is tilted from the upright and sitting pre-fall orientation 92 to the tilted falling orientation 95. To accomplish such tilting, the latching mechanism 40 is released and the passenger 55 is either motored to the tilted position using the operating mechanism 43 or the support 22 is simply allowed to drop to the tilted position and falling orientation 95 under the passenger""s 55 own weight . . . . The tilting action is accommodated by the pivot connection 37 and is limited either by the operating mechanism 43 or appropriate stops.xe2x80x9d Then line 67 of column 3 through line 2 of column 7 declares, xe2x80x9cEither simultaneously or shortly thereafter, the carriage 34 begins to drop over a falling travel distance 73.xe2x80x9d
Finally, with respect to U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,111, lines 53 through 56 in column 7 observe, xe2x80x9cThe maximum safe tilt angle 98 is experimentally determined and then the actual tilt angle 98 is restricted within a range between that determined angle and the upright position.xe2x80x9d
Furthermore, none of the preceding patents has a restraint system for the participant which employs a harness releasably held in place through the insertion of a serrated rod into an aperture of a directionally biased block.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,686 does not discuss a restraint system. Lines 20 and 21 of column 7 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,783 simply note, xe2x80x9c . . . each rider is strapped in with dual shoulder belts and a standard lap belt.xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,866, in lines 58 through 61 of column 3, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,671, in lines 24 through 27, utilize identical language: xe2x80x9cAssociated with each seat 58 is a five-point harness assembly 60 for securing an individual within the seat 58 when an individual is seated therein.xe2x80x9d And U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,111, in lines 6 through 17 of column 5, provides, xe2x80x9cThe carriage 34 has a passenger support or car 22 mounted thereupon. The passenger support 22 includes a chair-type structure upon which the passenger 55 directly rests. The chair includes a headrest, restraint 31 for retaining the passenger 55 safely in the support 22 throughout the ride""s 10 cycle. The restraint 31 is pivotally connected at an upper portion 28 of the passenger support 22. Supplemental restraints may also be included as required or desired. The several restraints however, are of conventional design and well-known in the amusement ride arts.xe2x80x9d
And none of the preceding patents includes a device for maintaining tension in a cable which assists in providing the propulsive force to the carrier for the participant or participants on an amusement ride.
Examples of patents which apply to fluid-powered cylinders associated with cables for powring amusement rides are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,632,686; 5,704,841; 5,893,802; 6,001,022; and 6,176,788.
The present invention utilizes cables suspended from a multitude of towers, preferably an odd number of towers and most preferably three towers, to raise a carrier for passengers.
Any means for causing the end of a cable attached to the carrier to move in a desired direction that is known in the art may be employed. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, a high-speed winch or a fluid-powered cylinder. The propulsive force may be applied to the cable either at the end of the cable other than the end which is attached to the carrier or, preferably, at a point intermediate between the ends of the cable.
At least the upper portion at least one of the towers and, preferably, all of the towers is flexible. Movement of the towers in response to acceleration of the carrier cushions the carrier and, consequently, participants on the carrier.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the carrier has one or more controllably rotatable seats.
Also preferably, but not necessarily, participant are held to their seats with harnesses attached to one or more serrated rods, wherein each serrated rod is inserted into an aperture of a directionally biased block.
And, optionally, a device for maintaining tension in a cable is employed for the cables.